The search, conducted under the auspices of the United States government, is to be limited to one week. It is very close to the beginning of the rainy season and travel in the jungle will be impossible once the rains come. Accompanying the military along with Molly are civilians John Kleat, an embittered veteran looking for his brother missing in action since the Vietnam conflict, and Duncan O’Brian, an archaeologist looking for a lost city.

After a week’s work, no evidence of the missing pilot has been located. The army is discontinuing the search but Molly, Kleat and O’Brian, each for his own reason, want to continue the search until the rain actually starts. With the aid of Samgang, a Khmer Rouge with local knowledge of the terrain, and the three Heng brothers who will provide equipment and supplies, the newly formed group continues the search. Though the threat of storms looms, the group hears of an ancient city in which a patrol of GI’s may have been buried, and they set off in search of this long lost community.

What commences as a straightforward search for a lost pilot evolves into a ghost story, and a fight for survival against the weather, the fast growing vegetation, disease, and an unknown assailant. During the next few weeks Molly doubts the wisdom of her decision to undertake this search.

The Reckoning is billed as a thriller set against the backdrop of the Cambodian jungle. An adventure story it certainly is, and there are elements of mystery, but to label the novel a thriller requires a rather broad definition of the word thriller. It entails a small group of individuals facing their own personal demons as well as the elements, but a thriller usually implies an impact on a much larger number of people. Prior knowledge of the major events that comprise the Vietnamese conflict as well as the topography and geography of Cambodia will enhance one’s enjoyment and appreciation of this book.

The author’s description of Cambodia is vivid and haunting. The climate and the vegetation become important characters in the story. For instance, the destruction of Molly’s tent during the course of one night shows how rampant the growth of the jungle plants actually is. It is difficult to decide who is the more dangerous enemy in the book, Mother Nature, some unknown human pursuer, or ghosts.

Interlaced within the story are tidbits of information about such diverse subjects as photography and archaeology. Certainly the descriptions of the workings of a digital camera with supernatural overtones are most intriguing. Things are real, but at the same time, surreal. The intelligence and ingenuity of an ancient people who managed to construct an entire city that was able to withstand the fearsome power of Mother Nature on steroids commands one’s attention.

The main protagonists in The Reckoning are, with the exception of Molly, arresting. They seem almost supernatural. Duncan, at first glance, seems to be a dedicated archeologist but, as Molly is to discover later, is not at all he appears to be. Kleat as well appears to be somewhat of a chameleon. The volatile nature of both characters keeps the reader in a state of perpetual unease. This book is definitely not a relaxing read!

Though it took me about fifty pages to become engaged with the characters and their story, The Reckoning presents a new look at a portion of the world that has fallen out of the public eye. The physical difficulty of living in such an environment, even in peacetime is a real struggle, but to think of the difficulties of waging war in such circumstances is overwhelming. Mr. Long has painted a vivid portrait of an enigmatic land.

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--Andy Plonka